In my own reading, I have discovered two books that offer
valuable insight into one of the most pressing issues faced by Shannon Forest
Christian School--how to foster the spiritual growth of our students. I
encourage each of you to read these books and reflect on the challenges we face
as Christian educators, parents and influencers.
From the
Inside Flap
More than half of all Christian teens and “twenty-somethings”
leave active involvement in church.
David Kinnaman trains his
researcher's eye on these young believers and reveals the factors, which contribute
to the dropout problem. You Lost Me shows why Christians ages 18 to 29
are leaving the church and rethinking their commitment to the Faith. Based on
new research conducted by the Barna Group, You Lost Me exposes ways the
Christian community has failed to equip young adults to live "in but not
of" the world--to follow Christ in the midst of profound cultural change.
This wide-ranging study debunks persistent myths about young dropouts and
examines the likely consequences for young adults and for the church if we
maintain the status quo.
The faith journeys of the next generation are a
challenge to the established church, but they can also be a source of hope for
the community of faith. Kinnaman, with the help of contributors from across the
Christian spectrum, offers ideas for pastors, youth leaders, parents, and
educators to pass on a vibrant, lasting faith, and ideas for young adults to
find themselves in wholehearted pursuit of Christ.
From the
Inside Flap
Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity’s best days are
yet to come. His best-selling book, UnChristian, revealed the
pervasiveness of our culture’s growing disregard for Christians. Now, in
The Next Christians, Lyons shows how a new wave of believers is turning the
tide by bringing the truth of the Gospel to bear on our changing, secular
society.
“Restorers,” as Lyons calls them, approach culture with a
different mentality than generations past. Informed by truth, yet
seasoned with grace and love, these believers engage the world by drawing it to
the sensibility and authenticity of the Christian life.
You too can be one of these "next” Christians and
change the negative perception of Christianity by living a life that is faithful
to the Gospel, yet credible and coherent to your friends and neighbors.
Open this book to learn how.
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